Be Funny (or Figuratively Die Trying)

It seems to be the general consensus that the United States is the leading nation to enter the post-joke world. The new era where sensitivity and political correctness are at the forefront of everyone’s minds, and should one fail to abide by these unwritten laws, they’re either insensitive, uneducated, or words that cannot be published in a school newspaper (they rhyme with “plugging manholes.”) In a community as wealthy and, uh, “socially progressive”, as Rye Brook, these people tend to be seen as less than ideal company. Simply put, this mindset is wrong. To avoid a misunderstanding, I recognize that there is a difference between someone who fails to be politically correct once in awhile and someone who intentionally crosses lines to insult and irritate people. However, excluding people who think or speak differently than others is the very irony that lies in political correctness. Call me a firebrand, and my chances of entering an Ivy League school would plummet even lower than they already are should this article be exposed to them, but expecting everyone to satisfy everyone else’s feelings is an unrealistic expectation to hold to every person you meet.

Comedy is a curious thing. The idea of comedy stems from the belief that the subject is inadequate compared to what is considered normal, and is therefore mockable by the audience, whom has gained the right to amuse itself at the subject’s expense because they are normal. This is what makes jokes such as terrible thing. When one makes a joke, they are essentially portraying someone as lesser than them. This is what political correctness is striving to correct. These intentions are great, but there is a line that should not be crossed for everything, from jokes to political correctness. Intervention from political correctness seems to cross its line very often. From ostracizing funnymen from society to showering them with ad hominem attacks via social media, the response from social justice warriors is swift and brutal punishment. And may your religious deity save the victims of its wrath.

When someone makes a joke that turns out to be not funny, the response to them should be proportional to the joke. After all, the goal of political correctness appears to be equality for all under one common characteristic: humanity. Yes, even serial killers and puppy kidnappers have the right to be considered as people. Ultimately, we must have faith that offended people use their best judgement to appropriately reprimand people who slip-up. Just be careful not to hurt their feelings when doing it.